The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission), meeting at its 64th Ordinary Session held from 24 April to 14 May 2019 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt;
Recalling its mandate to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in Africa under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter);
Recallingthe provisions of Articles 10,11, 13 and 19 of the African Charter which guarantee theright to freedom of expression, the right of assembly, the right to participate freely in government and the right to equality of all peoples and the provisions of Articles 3, 4 and 17 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance on the necessity to implement and consolidate the rule of law, democracy and democratic elections on the continent;
Bearing in mindthe obligations of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria under the African Charter and other relevant human rights instruments to which it is a party;
Notingthe developments in Algeria which led to the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and appointment of Abdelkader Bensalah, Speaker of the Council of the Nation as interim President;
Noting alsothe declaration of the interim President to hold a transparent presidential election after ninety (90) days in line with the Constitution of Algeria;
Notingthe continuous weekly protests by the Algerian population calling for political and institutional reforms, and the concerns of the National Syndicate of Magistrates regarding the independence of Magistrates;
Mindfulof the call by the Algerian Military Leadership for dialogue between protesters and the institutions of the state;
Reaffirmingthe commitment of the Commission to ensure the full enjoyment of human and peoples’ rights of all Algerians as enshrined in the African Charter and other relevant human rights instruments;
The Commission calls on the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to:
1. Ensure that fundamental human rights and freedoms are respected and upheld during the transition period;
2. Continue to exercise restraint and to engage in a constructive national dialogue with all the stakeholders concerned in order to collectively chart a positive way forward for the country;
3. Address the concerns of the population and guarantee the independence of the judiciary as prescribed by the Algerian Constitution and other laws of the country;
4. Expedite the processes for conducting a free, fair and transparent presidential election in line with the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, international best practices, the constitution and electoral laws of Algeria.
Done in Sharm El Sheikh, Arab Republic of Egypt, on 14 May 2019
